Shatea Alwatia: according to this article, “the oldest Kuwaiti restaurant in the country is the Shatea Alwatyia restaurant in the Behbehani Complex in downtown Kuwait behind the Sheraton.” This article says that, “the restaurant—which is based out of a kitchen and was run by a grandmother—has grown to become one of Kuwait’s most popular spots, serving great food while giving you a look into Kuwait’s past.”

Bunashi Cafe: located in Mubarakiya. This Kuwait Times article writes that, “while many people in Kuwait choose to have their coffee and leisure beverages at high-end cafes and malls, there are some who prefer the comfort of a traditional cafe. Historically, [they] were considered as hangouts for merchants and dhow captains. The most traditional cafes were situated near the old sea ports and the merchants market, with the oldest one being cafe ‘Bu Nashi,’ a Kuwaiti citizen with roots in Hassa region in modern-day Saudi Arabia.” The photos below come from user uploads on google maps.

The First Generation (مطعم الرعيل الأول) was perhaps the oldest restaurant in Kuwait, having been in Mubarakiya since 1932. A newspaper article from the early 1980s discussing the then 50-year-old history of the restaurant used to be displayed on the wall, but during a visit in the winter of 2020 it wasn’t visible. Someone posted an image of the newspaper article on the location on google maps for the restaurant, which you can see below. It is also seen in this video. The newspaper article reported that many notable figures of Kuwait used to eat breakfast at the First Generation, especially Sheikh Salem Al Sabah. A modest and simple restaurant, it served only heart and liver paired with bread and laban. Sadly, the restaurant was destroyed during the devastating Mubarakiya Market fires in the spring of 2022. The first four images below were taken by myself when I had the chance to eat at the restaurant two years before the fire, the rest were found on google maps.

Samarqand is a restaurant located in Sharq. Below, you can see an illustration the restaurant by Zahra Marwan. The building the restaurant is located in was renovated in 2022.

Beit Dickson: located in Salmiya, named for the museum. The photos for this restaurant and all of the following ones come from user uploads on google maps.

Mais Alghanim: opened since 1953, some claim it to be the oldest restaurant in Kuwait

Layali Tehran: the first Persian Restaurant in Kuwait, located in Salmiya

Assaha: located in Bneid al Gar

The Seventies: located in Jabriya and Jahra

Dalalwa Cafe: located in Mubarakiya